CBO: New border amendment will reduce illegal immigration

The Congressional Budget Office said the new border security proposal the Senate is voting on late Monday night will reduce illegal immigration even further than the 25 percent reduction in the original immigration bill — though CBO cannot say by how much.

Those pushing for the immigration bill to pass say they want to make sure this is the last time the country has to legalize a broad swath of illegal immigrants, and have promised their legislation would prevent another wave.

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CBO’s original estimate said that wasn’t true. The agency said about 75 percent of illegal immigration would continue, even with the boosted enforcement.

That sent Republicans back to negotiate a stiffer amendment, adding 20,000 more Border Patrol agents and more fencing to the southwest border, and CBO said that will help, somewhat.

“The agency expects that the amendment would further reduce the net annual flow of unauthorized residents into the United States relative to what would occur under the committee-approved bill,” CBO said.

“The net inflow of unauthorized residents has two main elements: a flow of people who cross the border without authorization, and a flow of people who enter the country with authorization to stay for a temporary period but stay after that authorization has expired. The amendment would significantly increase border security relative to the committee-approved version of the bill, and it would strengthen enforcement actions against those who stay in the country after their authorization has expired. Therefore, CBO expects that, relative to the committee-approved version of [the bill], the amendment would reduce both illegal entry into the country and the number of people who stay in the country beyond the end of their authorized period.”